Various proposals have been suggested to slidably mount a bumper onto the frame rails of a vehicle frame. It is also to connect vehicle frame rails directly to plates embedded in a bumper including energy absorbing material. In yet other systems a energy damper is connected to a support beam of a bumper by a retention system in which a cross bolt is used to connect the damper to a retention flange carried within a hollow segment of the bumper support beam.
Examples of the aforesaid systems are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,374,554; 4,460,205; 4,460,206 and 4,762,352.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,254,978 and 4,413,856 and the aforesaid U.S. Pat. No. 4,762,352 further disclose the attachment of a bumper to frame rails by use of connecting fasteners between a bumper reinforcing plate and an end plate on the frame rails.
While each of the aforedescribed proposals are suitable for their intended purpose they do not provide a fastening system suitable for connecting a generic bumper of either the plastic energy absorbing type or metal bumpers to frame rails during factory installation and/or for replacement or repair.